Catholic Charities of The

“The bishop for the diocese of winona-rochester can appoint all board members.”

“The board of directors reviewed and approved the form 990 at its november board meeting prior to its filing.”

“Annually board members sign a conflict of interst disclosure. Board members abstain from voting on any issues to which they have a conflict and this is documented in the minutes.”

“The board of directors evaluate performance and set the compensation for the ceo.”

“Governing documents, conflict of interest policy, and audited financial statements are available upon request at our business office during normal business hours.”

“We were unable to obtain compensation information for most reverend john quinn from the diocese of winona-rochester, a related organization. He declined permission to have this information included in our form 990.”

“Financial literacy program - catholic charities financial literacy program consists of workshops; generally 3 to 4 hour classes intended to engage participants, teens, young adults, and adults, of low to moderate income on various budgeting and money management topics. We provided financial literacy workshops to individuals, representing all walks of life. The overall impact of the program is that participants gain financial stability through improved financial literacy. Concepts discussed in the classes include: the difference between needs and wants, establishing savings, setting long-term financial goals, retirement planning, asset building, credit scores/credit building, and various budgeting techniques. The program helps participants avoid financial planning mistakes and learn how to use money to both empower their lives and attain long-term life goals. The end objective for all participants is to build assets and gain financial independence. The workshop materials and overall atmosphere welcomes conversation on money management and touches on the emotional components of overspending. The facilitator of the class works to establish good rapport with participants to make them feel comfortable talking about personal finances, and makes referrals to service providers when needs are identified. All participants are provided a folder with financial resources, budgeting tools, and a free calendar. Classes are held at various locations in the community, such as the rochester public library and hawthorne education center, and scheduled group classes with interested community partners that wish to have classes at their location such as the women's shelter, alternative learning center for teens, and link (living independently with knowledge for teens and young adults). Through a special teen curriculum, our program also works to address the need for financial literacy training for teens and young adults in our community. American teens, when compared to other countries, were found to be deficient in financial literacy skills and were unable to understand questions on finances beyond discerning between needs and wants. For teens and young adults, the classes are early prevention of financial planning mistakes with the building of monetary knowledge and skills, community financial resources and the confidence in making decisions and goals for their economic wellbeing. A social worker attended a class recently with one of her clients who is a senior at the alternative learning center (alc). This student identified as having difficulty at home and was asked to move out. The social worker wanted this student to get the financial literacy groundwork to help him establish his understanding of financial decisions when he is on his own. His questions to better understand financial terms during the class were great examples for the adults that were attending as well. When we were teaching a class at alc, this student stopped in and shared his experience with the rest of class and how helpful the information was that he received. He also stated he felt more empowered to go forward on his own and now knows how important it is to control and understand your own finances. We applaud the social worker for her insight in using our program as a resource and the young person for his openness to learning for his financial future. We see financial literacy as the foundation for empowerment in all areas of life. Money does not buy happiness but it does influence our perception of happiness and our potential of success.”

“Adoption catholic charities has been creating families in southern minnesota for over 75 years. We are a child placing agency licensed in minnesota. Our licensed social workers provide domestic infant adoption services, international adoption services, and designated adoption services. In domestic infant adoption, our social work staff helps to facilitate the match between birthparents and adoptive couples and assist with the process of freeing the child for adoption and placement of the child in the adoptive home, as well as the supervision of the adoptive placement through the adoption legalization. The adoption staff is committed to providing support and guidance throughout the entire adoption process both to the adoptive couple and the birthparents. We have a supervised provider agreement with holt international of oregon to complete international adoptive home studies and provide post placement supervision with minnesota residents living in our service area who want to adopt internationally. Designated adoption services are provided to adoptive applicants choosing not to be a part of our domestic adoption program, but are in need of individual services such as a study or post placement services. We offer a quarterly "journey to adopt" educational support group for our families who have completed the adoption study process and are ready to adopt. We are proactive in our efforts to make sure both adoptive parents and birthparents have a full complement of services. In every adoption, the welfare of the child is of primary concern. Adoption program service fees are paid by adoptive couples and designed to cover the operating expenses of the program. To eliminate cost as a barrier to adoption, a portion of the adoption fees are assessed on a sliding scale based on household income with a minimum and maximum cap. Any deficits are supplemented by general contributions to catholic charities. The majority of children are placed directly out of the hospital into the adoptive home. There are a number of different ways domestic infant adoption happens. Pregnant women may come to the agency looking to place their child in an adoptive home, which has always been a service option, and we are ready to assist both the adoptive parents and birthparent in that process. Another way in which adoptive parents and birthparents are making a connection is through personal connections or social media platforms. Women placing their children for adoption do so because they want more for the child than what they can provide. During this reporting cycle, 13 families received adoption services. Catholic charities adoptive families share in their own words what adoption has meant to them: "the home study program was very educational for us on not only about the types of adoptions but also the many of the social and emotional things we as a couple and our potential child would facewe took solace in the catholic charities adoption support classes and with other couples who were having similar wait times. Adoption for us certainly had its challenges, but its benefits well outweigh those and we will never regret our choice to pursue adoption for our family." "our journey to adopt has already had some highs and lows but we try to remember that we're not the first - and we won't be the last - to take this journey. Thanks to catholic charities, we are often reminded we're not on this path alone. We attend informational meetings with other couples waiting to adopt and we've developed friendships with these other special people. We talk about our plans to adopt openly with friends and strangers, which inevitably has led to people sharing their stories of adoption with us. This advocacy is very important work - we believe families come in all shapes and sizes. A strong family is not tied together by blood and genetics; it's tied by people who love and support each other." post adoption service post adoption services are provided to adopted adults, birthparents,”

“Americorps seniors rsvp active aging programs at catholic charities serves as the facilitators of americorps seniors retired senior volunteer program (rsvp). The program operates in counties in south central and southeastern minnesota, including: blue earth, brown, dodge, faribault, fillmore, freeborn, goodhue, houston, le sueur, martin, mower, nicollet, olmsted, rice, steele, wabasha, waseca, watonwan and winona. Working at the grassroots level, partnering with not for profit agencies, americorps seniors rsvp engages adults age 55 and over to volunteer their life experiences and skills in meeting the needs of their neighbors in their local communities through volunteer service. This service is completed through a network of collaborative agencies such as human service organizations, senior centers, non-profit transportation providers, schools and food banks who receive support with recruitment, referral, retention and recognition for volunteers serving them. Rsvp volunteers provide critical services, including: food delivery, transportation, companionship, food pantry support, leading health and wellness programs, tutoring in elementary schools and home repair/building. From july1, 2021 to june 30, 2022, there were 1,063 volunteers who provided 119,164 hours of service to 140 nonprofit agencies in their communities. As more of these agencies opened back up to volunteers following restrictions brought on by covid, those numbers are an increase from the prior year. Numbers reported above include the addition of 208 new volunteers and 6 new partnering agencies. Older adults in our program continue to show resilience as they work to connect and serve in their communities and the nonprofits in those communities value the contributions these volunteers offer. Active aging programs also provides health and wellness opportunities and experiences that are changing lives. The programs are evidence-based and have proven outcomes to help build peoples' confidence in managing their health conditions, increase physical activity levels and reduce health care costs. The overall goal of these programs is to improve the quality of life and help people live independently longer. These programs are offered throughout southern minnesota. Just over 1,600 participants were served by health and wellness classes from july1, 2021 to june 30, 2022. Another group supported through active aging programs is the volunteer income tax assistance program. Vita, funded through the minnesota department of revenue and the irs, provides free tax preparation for low-income individuals and families. All work is done by volunteers. This past tax season, 55 volunteers served 1,077 clients with a total in client benefits of over 2 million dollars. This vital service is offered in winona, st. Charles and la crescent.”

“On behalf of catholic social teaching in parishes, schools, and local agencies. "the church cannot neglect the service of charity any more than she can neglect the sacraments and the word . . . The church's deepest nature is expressed in her three-fold responsibility: of proclaiming the word of god, celebrating the sacraments, and exercising the ministry of charity. These duties presuppose each other and are inseparable" (god is love - pope benedict xvi). These words from pope benedict tell of the need to put our faith into action, and this is the primary work of the psm program. The psm program this past year was comprised of a team of two, which included the director of psm and a regional psm coordinator in the worthington deanery. The diocesan social concerns committee, established in 2013, helps plot the direction of the work of psm. There are currently seven members of this committee, which includes the psm team. In keeping with the goal of promoting awareness, the psm team works to establish, encourage, and guide parish social concerns committees, and deanery social concerns roundtables. These groups function like the diocesan social concerns committee by identifying local needs and helping to plan opportunities for education, prayer, and action. These groups also serve as faith sharing communities where members can share insights and resources, dreams and frustrations, thereby encouraging and building one another up in the work for justice. There are 9 active parish social concerns committees and 1 active deanery social concerns roundtable. In its effort to educate about catholic social teaching, the psm team conducts social concerns study days and facilitates bible studies on various topics of catholic social teaching. In the last year, the psm team conducted two study days with a total of 76 registrants and four bible studies with a total of 30 participants. The worthington deanery coordinator also planned a retreat for high schoolers on living lives of service. Most of the parishes in the deanery sent youth and adult leaders. A total of 163 people participated. In order to promote action on behalf of catholic social teaching, the psm team facilitates advocacy meetings between legislators and constituents on issues of concern. This year, as part of the joint religious legislative coalition's "day on the hill," the psm team helped to coordinate five visits with state legislators. There were 13 individuals that made 24 visits with legislators between the five meetings. As of july of 2022, the catholic accompaniment and reflection experience (care) program was approved as a new program under the parish social ministry programming. The purpose of the care program is to accompany and welcome immigrants and refugees within catholic charities of southern minnesota's service area. Initially, this program will be specifically focused on providing transportation for, and pastorally accompanying immigrants in the worthington, mn area to immigration court appointments and immigration and customs enforcement check-ins. Disaster recovery also falls under the jurisdiction of psm. The psm team is making efforts to become trained in disaster recovery, through the applied institute for disaster excellence (aide) program run by catholic charities usa. The director is responsible for overseeing the disbursement of local funds for crs rice bowl, and the catholic campaign for human development (cchd). The rice bowl funds go to help individuals who can't pay utilities and other related financial issues. The cchd funds make up the local "works of justice" fund. These funds are distributed in the form of micro-grants to local organizations who work to combat the root causes of poverty.”

“The audit committee makes the recommendation to the board of directors for selection of the auditors. The audit committee annually meets with the auditor. This process has not changed from the prior year.”